Building construction



Jan. 5, 1932. G. F. PAWLING 6 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 30. 19274 Sheets-She et 1 INVE OR 2%1 g i l Jan. 5, 1932. PAWUNG 1,839,496

BUILDINGXDONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 50. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2E ATTORNEYJan. 5, 1932. G. F. PAWLING 1,839,496

BEIILDING CONSTRUCTION ed Sept. 30. 1927' 4 Sheets-Sheet s mm,"-......,,.,.,.......7 "w"... I

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BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. so. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS IXmv/woR 3 0 Z6 24 25 jay? Patented Jan. 5, 1932 GEORGE E. PAVTLEIJG, FPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE AS- SIGNB'IENTS,

snnnn snnnnvnn rawnrnte, or ennnsrnn, PENNSYLVANIA BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONi'lpplieationfilcd September 30, 1927.

This invention relates to building. construction, and is particularlyapplicable for use in applying plastic coatings to girders, joists, orcolumns, and it has especial reference to a system of fireproofing withgypsum. V

A is now pretty generally recognized in the art, gypsum is an excellentfireproofing material, but it has not come into. as extensive use as itsmerit in this respect warrants, primarily for the reason that it lackssomewhat in structural strength and is liable to be melted off under theaction of the heat or washed off under the high pressure'streams ofwater commonly used in fighting fires.

With the foregoing in mind, my invention contemplates for one of itsprincipal objects the provision of a system of building construction inwhich it is possible to use to the fullest extent the undoubted merit ofpsum as a fireproofing. In carrying out my invention 1 provide means forapplying what I have termed armored gypsum to girders, ceilings andcolumns.

More specifically stated, my invention has for an object the provisionof an improved self centering form which acts as reinforcement as wellas form, and which can be applied with equal readiness to joists,girders or columns, and by my improvements I entirely do away with thenecessity for supplementary wooden forms or supporting shoring.

it is also an object of the invention to provide an improved form platewhich can be assembled in one plane preferably horizontal on the flooror upon some suitable table, and then subsequently raised and secureddirectly in the position which it will ulti-,

mately occupy in the finished construction. ll There fiat ceilings areconcerned, my 1mpraved form will, of course, be applied in its fiatcondition, just as it was assembled, but

where it is to'be applied to a girder or a column or some othercharacteristically formed structural member, it is first bent afterassembly to the shape desired and then secured in position adjacent themember which is to be coated or fireproofed.

A further object of the invention is to Serial No. seams.

provide a system of the character described which is exceedinglysimple,inexpensive to manufacture, and economical. to use, and one inwhich the various steps can be performed by unskilled labor.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out hereinafter inconnection with the followingdescription of the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and in whichFig. 1 is a cross sectionthrough a floor and ceiling constructionillustrating most of the features of the invention.

Fig. 2is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. V 4

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a'plan View onan enlarged scale "of a section of my improved form illustrating theformation of the metal lath or form plate and the manner inwhichadjacent lengths of the metal lath or form plates and furring strips arejoined together and the manner, in which the plates and the furring aresecured together. i Fig. 5 is a section'on the line 55 of Fig. 4 whichshows, in addition, the means which I prefer to use in supporting theform where it occupies'a generally horizontal position and the manner inwhich the plastic material incorporates itself with the form structure.Fig. 6- is a vertical sectionon an-enlarged scale taken longitudinallyof the furring strips and showing in greater detail the manner in whichthe metal lath or form plate'is secured to the furring.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical perspective of a section of a form in itsflat condition preparatory to being bent into the shape necessary to fita supporting beam or girder.

Fig. 8 shows the form of Fig. 7 in its bent position. i

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of the manner in which a flat formis prepared and bent for application to a rectangular supportsired.

-most clearly. in Figs. 4c and 6. Atintervals along these overlappingportions I slit the material ofthe lath to form opposed tongues 4, thetongues on one section of the lath overlapping the tongues on the othersection. By bending the overlapping tongues backward- ;ly on themselvesas. shown in Figs. 1 and 6,

adjacent sections of theplates 1 are secured together. Thls is shown 1ngreater detail 1n m y Patent No. 1,574,304, issued'February 23,

1926, to which reference may behad,if de The furring strips 2 areU-shaped cross section as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, the base portionof the Ubeing provided with a plurality of downwardly and horizontallyextending clips 5 which are formed by slittingthe metal. of the furringstrip on all but one end of such a clip, and then bending. the

-. material. first downwardly and then horizontally, as most clearlyshown in Fig.6. These clips are adapted to be engaged beneath theupstanding loops 6 formedin the body of the metal lath. This appearsmost clearly in .Figs..4, 5 and 6.

In order to provide for continuous, lengths of furring from one endof aceiling to another, for example, I provide each section of furring witha socket portion 7 at one end and a tongue 8 at theother, which sockets,andtongues can beveasily provided for by simply deforming the metal ofthe furring strip. The furring strip as described is disclosed andclaimed in my Patent No..1,625,-

; 865, issued April 26, 1927, to which reference maybe had if desired.

7 Itwill be noted that the loops 6 in the metal lath or form plates 1are arrangedin rowsbetween which are ribs or corrugations 6a with the.concave side downwardly, as appears very clearly in Fig. 6. Thisprovides for an alternation of loops and corrugations all the way acrossa ceiling. Furthermore, theoverlapping edges 3 of adjacent sections ofthe form plates are likewise provided with the. corrugations 6a.

In preparing a form for a section of ceiling as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and5, the metal lathis first laid out fiat in a horizontal posi .tion,either on the floor below,-or upon some suitable table with the loops 6uppermost. The furring'strips arethen applied by slid ing;themlongitudinally so asto engage the clips beneath the loops 6. A form soprepared isthen raised in any suitable manner t th pes en whi it .i t oupy ben ath the joists 9 and is then supported from the joists by meansof hangers 10, each of which has a hook-like portion 11 at the topadapted to embrace the upper T-shaped cord 12 of the joist in the mannerindicated in Figs. 1 and 3. At the bottom each hanger is additionallyprovided with a similar but smaller hook 13 adapted to pass under andaround the 'furring strips 2-, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and i5,but mostclearly in Fig. 5. In this way it is easy to maintain the ceiling format its proper elevation throughout the length of the joists because ateach point of support, the hanger extends downwardly from the top cordofthe joist and the top cord is, of course, fixed as toits location.

After the ceiling form has been put in place as described, the plasticgypsum 1a is poured thereon from above. The gypsum hows under and aroundthe loops 6 and over and around the furring strips and the lower ends ofthe hangers 10, so that such parts of the structure become intimatelybound up or incorporated in the gypsum, the metal lath constituting areinforcement 'or armor for the gypsum, as well as a form during thepouring operation. The customary coat of plaster 15 may be applied tothe under surface of the form.

Inthis wa it will be seen that I have provided fireproofing materialwhich I have called armored gypsum because the metal lath is formed andincorporated in the gypsum in such a way as to protect the gypsum fromthe action of heat or water. As is well understood in this art, gypsumbecomes fluid at high temperatures, so that it will gradually drip offunder the action of the fire aided by the washing action ofthe highpressure streams of water which may be applied against it. Lhis hasconstituted one of the difiiculties heretofore encountered in the use ofgypsum as a fireprooling, but by my improvements these difiiculties areentirely overcome, since the metal lath prevents the gypsum fromdripping or sloughing off in case OI fire.

I wish to direct attention to the fact that in case of fire thecomparatively thin coating of plaster 15 blows off, thus exposing themetalof the form plate to the action of the heat so that considerableexpansion of the formplate occurs and must be taken care of in order tomaintain perfect contact with the gypsum above and prevent any loss.This is accomplished by virtue of the corrugations 6atand the loops 6 inalternation across the ceiling. I prefer to place the corrugationsapproximately upon centers and the loops upon l fi centers staggered inadjacent rows. The action which takes place under the expansion of theheat is somewhat as follows: The metal, of course, eXpands,.but theexpansioniscompletely taken care of in one direction bythe corrugationsand in the op- 1 I iii.

posite direction by the loops. Therefore, the expansion of the formplate as a whole is accommodated throughout in small localized,

- gypsum whereas, with the construction'which I employ, this is notpossible and the gypsum is at all times well protected or armored Byvirtue of this construction the relative motion between the plate andthe gypsum is, for all pracical purposes, a negligible factor.

l Vhere a supporting girder or beam 16 is encountered l first assemble asection of metal lath 1 in a horizontal position as indicated in ig. 7,then apply thereto the furring trips 2a in the manner already describedand nd'cated liagrammatically in Fig. 7, which trips may be especiallynotched out as at '1'? that the form, as a whole, may be readily outinto the position shown in Fig. 8, and hen applied to the girder 16, asshown in igs. 1 and '2.

The girder form so prepared andplaced in 1 position is then supportedsimilarly to the manner in which the ceiling form is supported,exceptthat the hangers 18 are of an in verted rl-shape so that they. maybe passed over the top of the girder 16 from which they are suspended.The end of each leg of the ll-shaped hangers 18 is provided with i- 19which passes beneath and around h ring At each side of the girder helath of the girder form may be bent over as 20 to meet the lath in theceiling form,

shown in Fig. 1. In order to properly position the girder form, I preferto use supplemental strips 21 which may be made, if desired, from a.section of a furring strip placed in inverted position (see Figs. 1 and2) and held'in place on the lower flanges of the girder 16 by means ofthe bent metal pieces 22. The bent metal pieces may be secured to thestrip 21 in any desired manner, and before application of the strip, thepieces 22 project vertically upward, and after application they are bentaround to embrace the flanges of the girder 16 as shown in Fig. 1. Theends of the strips 21 are embraced by the furring strips as at 21a. Thisprovides simple yetlirm positioning means for the girder form.

After the girder form is in place, the gyp sum 14: is poured from abovethe pouring operation, as a matter of fact taking place at the time thatthe ceiling is poured, as already described, it being understood, ofcourse, that all of the forms for a given area or section of the ceilingare in place when pouring operations are being conducted.

The same idea is carried over into the fireprooiing of supportingcolumns, the form of Fig. 9 having been laid out in horizontal positionprior to the bending operation. Here the furring strips 26 must beprovided relation as at 25.

strips in the loop-s they can be positioning must t ing into with fournotched out places 17a in caseof a rectangular or square column, such asillustrated in Figs-'9 to 11 mclusive.

After the form is bent to the positlon shown in Fin". 9, it is a-apliedto the column 23 of Fig. 11, and thenthe bending is completed so thatthe form will enclose the columnas clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11. I

prefer to arrange the-parts so that the joint 24 will come approximatelyat one corner of the column, and it will be noticed, by referring toFig. 10, that the ahuting ends of the furring strips 2?) are arranged inlapped This lopin is made possible by virtue of the clips 5 onthefurring strips is substantiah ly less than the loops 6 beneath whichthey are engaged, and by simply offsetting the furring made to lap pasteach other as described. l i

A column form is positioned around its column in much the manner alreadydescribed for he girder form, except that the he place in twodirections.

[it i ale-vi are provided the posi ioning strips 26 which are secured tothe flanges of the column by means of the clips 27 in the manner alreadydescribed for the girder form, the ends of the fact that the width ofally along the column 23 the strips 26 being pressed or distorted 50 fitWithin the legs of the ld-shaped furring may be introduced'in everythird or fourth furring strip. In the other direction strips 29 maybeemployed and securedwith respect to the column flanges in any similar orother desired manner, with their ends'also projectthe furring strips 26as at 30. After the column forms are in place, the gypsum 14 is pouredin plastic condition as already described in connection with the ceilingand girder construction, and the coating of plaster 15 subsequentlyapplied to the out side. 7 I

It Will be seen that I have devised an extremely simple system forfireproofing buildings, and thatthe essential features of the inventionmaybe applied throughout, namely, to'the ceiling, to the girders, and tothe columns. In pouring the gypsum I prefer to place all of theforms forthe ceiling, girders and columns inany given section of'a floor of thebuilding, and then pour the gypsum all atone time, the pouring, ofcourse, taking place from above. After the fireprooiin'g has beenapplied, the floor 31 of concrete may be poured, the floor form 32having been placed 1n. positlon first.

This floor form consists of metal lath similar to the form plate usedin-constructing ceiling. It should be noted that the top cords ofthejoists may be provided with upstanding pegs 33 adapted to puncturethe lath 32 possible toerect forms without the necessity instead of theofemploying skilled labor, the assembly of the lath and furring strips,and the subsequent bending, where necessary, and position- .ing, beingextremely simple operations which can be earned out by workmen ofaverage qualifications. Expensive uwooden forms which must only be torndown after the fire proofing has set are dispensed with, and the formwhich I do employ becomes an integral part of the structure and servesto protect or armor the gypsum. 7 I

tthe time of pouring the ceilin fireproofingslab and before the gypsumhas obtained its set, I prefer to straighten the under side with astraight edge so that the finished slab is perfectly straight, therebypresenting a surface for applying the plaster which becomes unusuallyeflicient because of the straightness and because of the admirable keyprovided by the type of the form plate and the projection of a smallamount of gypsum at each loop opening. This makes it possible to produceperfectly satisfactory results with a one or two coat finish of plastercustomary two or three coat finish.

I claim l t 1. In building construction the herein described method ofcovering a structural mem- V ber'which consists in laying out metal lathin flat position, in securing furring thereto, in bending the assembledlath and furring into a self-centering form ofthe shape desired, inapplying the form to the structural .member, and in pouring an innerfill of plastic material.

2. The herein described method of proofing the structural work ofbuildings which comprises laying out form plate or metal lath in flatposition, in securing furrin g thereto, in bending the assembled plateand furring into a self-centering form of the shape desired, in applyingsaid self-centering form to the work, and in pouring an inne fill offireproofing.

8. In the fireproofing of ceilingstructures, the method which compriseslaying out form plate or metal lath in flat position, in securingfurring thereto, in suspending said assembly by said furring from saidstructure, and in pouring an inner fill of fireproofing. 4:. A fireproofcoating including, in combination, an outer metallic form plate, spacedrows of inwardly projecting'loops and inwardly projecting corrugationsbetween the rows of loops, attaching furring secured to loopstransversely of the rows, and an inner fill ofgypsum. Y

-'5. Infireproof building construction, the combination of an outermetallic form plate, inwardly projecting rows of loops pressed out ofthe metal of the plate, inwardly projecting corrugations between therows of loops, attaching furring secured to the loops, and an inner fillof gypsum. 1

6. The method of fireproofing the structural work of buildings, whichcomprises placinga self-centering metal form adjacent the structure,pouring thereon an inner fill of fireproofing material, and instraightening the exposed surface while the fill is still plastic.

7. In the fireproofing of ceiling structures, the method which compriseslaying out form plate or metal lath in flat position, in securingfurring thereto, in suspending said as sembly by said furring from saidstructure, in pouring a fill of fireproofing thereon, and instraightening the exposed surface while the fill is still plastic.

8. In building construction the method-of eoyering structural work whichcomprises laying out form plate or-metal lath in flat position, infastening furring thereto, in securing said assembly to the structuralwork, and in pouring an inner fill of fireproofing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

GEORGE F. PAIVLING.

